This invention relates to cleaner/degreaser compositions and, more particularly, to cleaner/degreaser concentrate compositions which are especially adapted to readily and rapidly form the totally water soluble solutions of the compositions of U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,831 when diluted with sufficient water to produce a solution of desired concentration or cleaner/degreaser strength.
In my coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,831, there are disclosed aqueous cleaner/degreaser compositions in the form of totally water soluble solutions which exhibit superior cleaning and degreasing capability. Such compositions comprise (a) at least one sparingly water soluble organic solvent having certain defined characteristics; (b) a solubilizing additive consisting of from approximately 0.1 to approximately 100 weight percent of a surfactant and from 0 to approximately 99.9 weight percent of a coupler, the solubilizing additive being present in an amount not exceeding approximately twofold that required to completely solubilize the organic solvent; and (c) water.
Since the cleaner/degreaser compositions of my U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,831 generally contain a high proportion of water, it would be advantageous to eliminate the free added water from such compositions and form concentrates which would be more economical and less wasteful to ship and store prior to usage. However, it has been found that when concentrates are formulated by eliminating free added water from the compositions of my '831 patent, such concentrates upon the addition of the appropriate amount of water to yield the final compositions of my '831 patent require an undue amount of time and agitation to produce ready to use compositions. Thus, for example, a concentrate containing the theoretical proportions of organic solvent and solubilizing additive components as taught in my '831 patent with free added water removed may, upon the addition of the requisite amount of water, require 10-15 minutes with stirred mixing before it is converted from the initial turbid, cloudy emulsion state to one of a truly clear, aqueous solution as contemplated for use in cleaning and degreasing by my '831 patent.
It would be beneficial and advantageous to have available for economical shipping and storage a concentrate composition which does not suffer from such drawbacks and which may be readily transformed, upon the addition of sufficient water, to form clear solutions of desired strength.